Assessing the toxicity of one-step-synthesized PEG-coated gold nanoparticles: in vitro and in vivo studies.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the in vitro and in vivo toxicities of polyethylene glycol-coated gold nanoparticles synthesized using a one-step process. METHODS: Gold nanoparticles were prepared via a co-precipitation method using polyethylene glycol, and the synthesis product was characterized. For the in vitro evaluation, a flow cytometry analysis with Annexin V and iodide propidium staining was used to assess cytotoxicity in MG-63 cells labeled with 10, 50, and 100µg/mL of nanoparticle concentration. For the in vivo evaluation, nanoparticles were administered intraperitoneally at a dose of 10mg/kg dose in 10-week-old mice. Toxicity was assessed 24 hours and 7 days after administration via histopathological analysis of various tissues, as well as through renal, hepatic, and hematopoietic evaluations. RESULTS: Synthesized nanoparticles exhibited different hydrodynamic sizes depending on the medium: 51.27±1.62nm in water and 268.12±28.45nm (0 hour) in culture medium. They demonstrated a maximum absorbance at 520nm and a zeta potential of -8.419mV. Cellular viability exceeded 90%, with less than 3% early apoptosis, 6% late apoptosis, and 1% necrosis across all labeling conditions, indicating minimal cytotoxicity differences. Histopathological analysis highlighted the accumulation of nanoparticles in the mesentery; however, no lesions or visible agglomeration was observed in the remaining tissues. Renal, hepatic, and hematopoietic analyses showed no significant differences at any time point. CONCLUSION: Polyethylene glycol-coated gold nanoparticles exhibit extremely low toxicity and high biocompatibility, showing promise for future studies.

How different attributes are weighted in professionals' decision-making in Pediatric Dentistry-a protocol for guiding discrete choice experiment focused on shortening the evidence-based practice implementation for dental care.

BACKGROUND: Important evidence has been constantly produced and needs to be converted into practice. Professional consumption of such evidence may be a barrier to its implementation. Then, effective implementation of evidence-based interventions in clinical practice leans on the understanding of how professionals value attributes when choosing between options for dental care, permitting to guide this implementation process by maximizing strengthens and minimizing barriers related to that. METHODS: This is part of a broader project investigating the potential of incorporating scientific evidence into clinical practice and public policy recommendations and guidelines, identifying strengths and barriers in such an implementation process. The present research protocol comprises a Discrete Choice Experiment (DCE) from the Brazilian oral health professionals' perspective, aiming to assess how different factors are associated with professional decision-making in dental care, including the role of scientific evidence. Different choice sets will be developed, either focusing on understanding the role of scientific evidence in the professional decision-making process or on understanding specific attributes associated with different interventions recently tested in randomized clinical trials and available as newly produced scientific evidence to be used in clinical practice. DISCUSSION: Translating research into practice usually requires time and effort. Shortening this process may be useful for faster incorporation into clinical practice and beneficial to the population. Understanding the context and professionals' decision-making preferences is crucial to designing more effective implementation and/or educational initiatives. Ultimately, we expect to design an efficient implementation strategy that overcomes threats and potential opportunities identified during the DCEs, creating a customized structure for dental professionals. TRIAL REGISTRATION: https://osf.io/bhncv .

Most Cited Articles in Body Contouring: A Bibliometric Analysis of the Past 45 Years.

Introduction: The purpose of this study is to produce a bibliometric review of the 30 most cited articles related to 6 major domains of body contouring-abdominoplasty, thighplasty, brachioplasty, gluteoplasty, body lift, and liposuction-for resident and fellow education. Methods: The authors utilized the Web of Science Citation Index to identify the 30 most cited articles related to surgery for body contouring published from 1975 to 2020. Articles were classified according to their level of evidence, type of study, and country of publication. Results: A total of 336 articles were reviewed to compile our list. The mean number of citations across the articles was 114.7 ± SD 86.1. The highest prevalence of the papers was published between 2000 and 2009 (n = 15, 50%). The country with the highest number of contributions was the United States (n = 22, 73%). Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery served as the main journal of publication for these papers (n = 22, 73.3%). The majority of articles were designated for clinical-type studies (n = 26, 86.7%). No basic science or prevalence study design papers were listed. In terms of level of evidence (LoE), most papers were assigned IV (n = 11, 36.7%) and III (n = 7, 23.3%). Conclusions: Our study reveals that the most cited papers in body contouring are of LoE III and IV. Although the LoE of plastic surgery research, in general, has improved, in the past decade, a call for higher quality papers remains. Overall, this analysis provides an easy, electronic starting point for residents and fellows interested in understanding the field's evolution.

Introduction : La présente étude vise à produire une analyse bibliométrique de 30 articles influents liés à six grands domaines du remodelage corporel (l'abdominoplastie, le redrapage des cuisses, la brachioplastie, la glutéoplastie, le redrapage du corps et la liposuccion) pour la formation des résidents et des étudiants en stage de perfectionnement postdoctoral. Méthodologie : Les auteurs ont utilisé l'index de citation de Web of Science pour extraire les 30 articles les plus cités sur les opérations de remodelage corporel publiés entre 1975 et 2020. Ils ont classé les articles d'après la qualité des preuves, le type d'étude et le pays de publication. Résultats : Au total, les auteurs ont analysé 336 articles pour compiler leur liste. Les articles contenaient un nombre moyen de 114,7± ÉT 86,1 citations. La plus forte prévalence d'articles a été publiée entre 2000 et 2009 (n = 15, 50 %). La majorité des articles provenaient des États-Unis d'Amérique (n = 22, 73 %), et c'est la revue Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery© qui en a publié le plus (n = 22, 73,3 %). La plupart des articles prenaient la forme d'études de type clinique (n = 26, 86,7 %). Aucun article de science fondamentale ni étude de prévalence n'a été répertorié. Pour ce qui est de la qualité des preuves, la plupart des articles ont obtenu un classement de IV (n = 11, 36,7 %) et de III (n = 7, 23,3 %). Conclusions : L'étude révèle que la qualité de preuve de la plupart des articles dans ce domaine était de III et IV. Même si la chirurgie plastique se prête moins bien aux études randomisées et contrôlées que la médecine, elle mérite des articles comportant une meilleure qualité de preuves. Grâce à la présente analyse, les résidents et les étudiants en stage de perfectionnement peuvent accéder rapidement et facilement à des concepts influents pour comprendre l'évolution du domaine par voie électronique. Termes MeSH : abdominoplastie, bibliométrie, chirurgie plastique, études transversales, liposuccion, remodelage corporel.

Highly transparent sustainable biogel electrolyte based on cellulose acetate for application in electrochemical devices.

In this study, an easy and low-cost production method for a cellulose acetate-based gel polymer containing lithium perchlorate and propylene carbonate is described, as well as the investigation of its properties for potential use as an electrolyte in electrochemical devices. Cellulose acetate, a biopolymer derived from natural matrix, is colourless and transparent, as confirmed by the UV-Vis spectroscopy, with 85 % transparency in visible spectrum. The gels were prepared and tested at different concentrations and proportions to optimise their properties. Thermogravimetry, XRD, and FTIR analyses revealed crucial characteristics, including a substantial 90 % mass loss between 150 and 250 °C, a semi-crystalline nature with complete salt dissociation within the polymer matrix, and a decrease in intensity at 1780 cm-1 with increasing Li+ ion concentration, suggesting an improvement in ionic conduction capacity. In terms of electrochemical performance, the gel containing 10 % by mass of cellulose acetate and 1.4 M of LiClO4 emerged as the most promising. It exhibited a conductivity of 2.3 × 10-4 S.cm-1 at 25 °C and 3.0 × 10-4 S.cm-1 at 80 °C. Additionally, it demonstrated an ideal shape of cyclic voltammetry curves and stability after 400 cycles, establishing its suitability as an electrolyte in electrochemical devices.

Activity of a Recombinant Chitinase of the Atta sexdens Ant on Different Forms of Chitin and Its Fungicidal Effect against Lasiodiplodia theobromae.

This study evaluates the activity of a recombinant chitinase from the leaf-cutting ant Atta sexdens (AsChtII-C4B1) against colloidal and solid α- and ß-chitin substrates. 1H NMR analyses of the reaction media showed the formation of N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) as the hydrolysis product. Viscometry analyses revealed a reduction in the viscosity of chitin solutions, indicating that the enzyme decreases their molecular masses. Both solid state 13C NMR and XRD analyses showed minor differences in chitin crystallinity pre- and post-reaction, indicative of partial hydrolysis under the studied conditions, resulting in the formation of GlcNAc and a reduction in molecular mass. However, the enzyme was unable to completely degrade the chitin samples, as they retained most of their solid-state structure. It was also observed that the enzyme acts progressively and with a greater activity on α-chitin than on ß-chitin. AsChtII-C4B1 significantly changed the hyphae of the phytopathogenic fungus Lasiodiplodia theobromae, hindering its growth in both solid and liquid media and reducing its dry biomass by approximately 61%. The results demonstrate that AsChtII-C4B1 could be applied as an agent for the bioproduction of chitin derivatives and as a potential antifungal agent.

Precision Medicine in Veterinary Science.

Precision medicine focuses on the clinical management of the individual patient, not on population-based findings. Successes from human precision medicine inform veterinary oncology. Early evidence of success for canines shows how precision medicine can be integrated into practice. Decreasing genomic profiling costs will allow increased utilization and subsequent improvement of knowledge base from which to make better informed decisions. Utility of precision medicine in canine oncology will only increase for improved cancer characterization, enhanced therapy selection, and overall more successful management of canine cancer. As such, practitioners are called to interpret and leverage precision medicine reports for their patients.

Soil surface roughness impacts the risk arising from a hypothetical urban radiological dispersive device activation.

This study considers a deliberate hypothetical release of radioactive material over an inhabited urban zone. The event is initiated by the activation of a radiological dispersion device. The main threat is the deposition of radioactive material onto the soil's surface. The radiation represents the threat-defining risks, which depend on the main variables, i.e. soil surface roughness, sex, age of the exposed individuals and the moment of the release (day or nighttime). This study aims to evaluate the effect of soil surface roughness on the radiological risk. The simulation was performed by an analytical method using the HotSpot Health Physics code within the first 100 h. The results found relevant elements that allow for differentiating consequences as a function of the time of release (whether daytime or nighttime), thus allowing decision-makers to be supported with a little more detail about the situation, although in a critical initial phase.

Low-cost simulator for intra-abdominal bleeding.

BACKGROUND: training in critical surgical situations is crucial for a safe outcome. The use of simulators is well established, although many are quite expensive, requiring the search for financially viable solutions for training centers. METHODS: we built a low-cost simulator for intra-abdominal bleeding with inexpensive materials, such as a manikin chest, latex tubes, silicone rubber, and waterproof fabric, seeking to mimic the abdominal viscera and vessels and their anatomical correlations. An IV infusion set allowed simulated blood to flow under pressure, and the blood flowed freely during simulation. After obtaining a functional model, we selected general surgeons to validate the simulator and its use in teaching surgery. We used the content validity index (CVI), with a cutoff of 0.9. RESULTS: the cost of building the prototype was US$71,00 in 2021, accounting for the purchase of the various necessary materials. Twelve raters participated in the validation tests. The results obtained from the feedback survey showed a good evaluation of all items, especially the recognition of the injured vessel, access to the vascular injury, hemostasis by manual compression, and hemostatic suturing. CONCLUSION: the proposed simulator obtained good results in scenarios of intra-abdominal bleeding from large vessels, as well as for hemostasis by manual compression and suturing. It proved to be a useful tool for training in critical intra- abdominal bleeding situations, while maintaining a low cost of building.

Low birth weight and reduced postnatal nutrition lead to cardiac dysfunction in piglets.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in humans and evidence suggests early life growth-restriction increases heart disease risk in adulthood. Therefore, this study sought to investigate the effects of low birth weight (LBW) and postnatal restricted nutrition (RN) on cardiac function in neonatal pigs. We hypothesized that LBW and RN would reduce cardiac function in pigs but this effect would be reversed with refeeding. To investigate this hypothesis, pigs born weighing <1.5 kg were assigned LBW, and pigs born >1.5 kg were assigned normal birth weight (NBW). Half the LBW and NBW pigs underwent ~25% total nutrient restriction via intermittent suckling (assigned RN) for the first 4 wk post-farrowing. The other half of piglets were allowed unrestricted suckling access to the sow (assigned NN). At 28 d of age (weaning), pigs were weaned and provided ad libitum access to a standard diet. Echocardiographic, vascular ultrasound, and blood pressure (BP) measurements were performed on day 28 and again on day 56 to assess cardiovascular structure and function. A full factorial three-way ANOVA (NN vs. RN, LBW vs. NBW, male vs. female) was performed. Key findings include reduced diastolic BP (P = 0.0401) and passive ventricular filling (P = 0.0062) in RN pigs at 28 d but this was reversed after refeeding. LBW piglets have reduced cardiac output index (P = 0.0037) and diastolic and systolic wall thickness (P = 0.0293 and P = 0.0472) at 56 d. Therefore, cardiac dysfunction from RN is recovered with adequate refeeding while LBW programs irreversible cardiac dysfunction despite proper refeeding in neonatal pigs.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in humans, and in addition to the known modifiable risk factors, evidence suggests early life undernutrition increases heart disease risk in adulthood. Specifically, low birth weight (LBW) has been linked to poor infant cardiac development which could be made worse by an inadequate postnatal diet. Globally, 160 million children under the age of five experience a poor nutritive environment leading to growth-restriction highlighting the need for continued research. Using a pig model, the present investigation examined the effects of LBW and a restricted diet during postnatal life on cardiac structure and function in preweaning and post-weaning piglets. The most important findings were (1) nutrient-restricted piglets had reduced cardiac function at 28 d old but refeeding reversed cardiac dysfunction at 56 d, indicating that nutrient-induced cardiac dysfunction can be reversed, and (2) LBW pigs presented with cardiac dysfunction at 56 d regardless of feeding level, suggesting potential for an increased risk of heart disease in adulthood with LBW.

Identification of genomic alterations with clinical impact in canine splenic hemangiosarcoma.

Canine hemangiosarcoma (HSA) is an aggressive cancer of endothelial cells with short survival times. Understanding the genomic landscape of HSA may aid in developing therapeutic strategies for dogs and may also inform therapies for the rare and aggressive human cancer angiosarcoma. The objectives of this study were to build a framework for leveraging real-world genomic and clinical data that could provide the foundation for precision medicine in veterinary oncology, and to determine the relationships between genomic and clinical features in canine splenic HSA. One hundred and nine dogs with primary splenic HSA treated by splenectomy that had tumour sequencing via the FidoCure® Precision Medicine Platform targeted sequencing panel were enrolled. Patient signalment, weight, metastasis at diagnosis and overall survival time were retrospectively evaluated. The incidence of genomic alterations in individual genes and their relationship to patient variables including outcome were assessed. Somatic mutations in TP53 (n = 44), NRAS (n = 20) and PIK3CA (n = 19) were most common. Survival was associated with presence of metastases at diagnosis and germline variants in SETD2 and NOTCH1. Age at diagnosis was associated with somatic NRAS mutations and breed. TP53 and PIK3CA somatic mutations were found in larger dogs, while germline SETD2 variants were found in smaller dogs. We identified both somatic mutations and germline variants associated with clinical variables including age, breed and overall survival. These genetic changes may be useful prognostic factors and provide insight into the genomic landscape of hemangiosarcoma.

Newly isolated phages preying on Pseudomonas syringae pv. garcae: In vitro and ex vivo inactivation studies in coffee plant leafs.

Coffee canker, or bacterial halo blight (BHB) of coffee, is a disease caused by the phytopathogenic bacterium Pseudomonas syringae pv. garcae (Psg), having been found for the first time in 1955, in the Garça region (State of São Paulo), and which has stood out in the Brazilian coffee plantations in recent years, leading to severe economic losses that seriously affect coffee trade. The treatments available are still scarce, involving frequent spraying of coffee plantations with either copper derivatives or the antibiotic kasugamycin. However, these compounds should be avoided due to environmental toxicity and the development of bacterial resistances. Herein we report the isolation and physical/biological characterisation of two novel lytic phages and their efficacy in the control of Psg. Phages ph002F and ph004F were isolated from coffee plant leaves in Brazil (Sorocaba/SP and Itu/SP cities), using Psg IBSBF-158 as the host. According to the transmission electron microscopy analyses, both phages belong to the class Caudoviricetes and present myovirus-like morphotypes. Phages ph002F and ph004F showed eclipse times of 5 min and 20 min, respectively, and a burst size of 123 PFU/host cell and 12 PFU/host cell, respectively, allowing to conclude they replicate well in Psg IBSBF-158 with latency periods of 50 min. Phage ph002F (reduction of 4.59 log CFU/mL, compared to uninfected culture) was more effective in inactivating Psg than phage ph004F (reduction of 3.85 log CFU/mL) after 10 h of incubation at a MOI of 10. As a cocktail, the two phages were highly effective in reducing the bacterial load (reduction of 5.26 log CFU/mL at a MOI of 0.1 or reduction of 5.03 log CFU/mL at a MOI of 10, relative to untreated culture), after 12 h of treatment. This study provides evidence that the isolated phages are promising candidates against the causative agent of BHB in coffee plants.

Crucial role of carbon monoxide as a regulator of diarrhea caused by cholera toxin: Evidence of direct interaction with toxin.

The present study evaluated the role of heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1)/carbon monoxide (CO) pathway in the cholera toxin-induced diarrhea and its possible action mechanism. The pharmacological modulation with CORM-2 (a CO donor) or Hemin (a HO-1 inducer) decreased the intestinal fluid secretion and Cl- efflux, altered by cholera toxin. In contrast, ZnPP (a HO-1 inhibitor) reversed the antisecretory effect of Hemin and potentiated cholera toxin-induced intestinal secretion. Moreover, CORM-2 also prevented the alteration of intestinal epithelial architecture and local vascular permeability promoted by cholera toxin. The intestinal absorption was not altered by any of the pharmacological modulators. Cholera toxin inoculation also increased HO-1 immunoreactivity and bilirubin levels, a possible protective physiological response. Finally, using fluorometric technique, ELISA assay and molecular docking simulations, we show evidence that CO directly interacts with cholera toxin, forming a complex that affects its binding to GM1 receptor, which help explain the antisecretory effect. Thus, CO is an essential molecule for protection against choleric diarrhea and suggests its use as a possible therapeutic tool.

Effect of the essential amino acid-nitrogen to total nitrogen ratio on lysine requirement for nitrogen retention in growing pigs.

Low protein diets supplemented with essential amino acids (EAA) fed to pigs reduce the excess supply of EAA and nitrogen (N). However, low protein diets may become limiting in non-essential amino acids (NEAA) and N, thus affecting the utilization of EAA for N retention. It has been suggested that the EAA-N:total N (E:T) ratio can give an indication of dietary N sufficiency. An N-balance study was conducted to determine the effect of E:T ratio on the Lys requirement for maximum N retention. A total of 80 growing barrows (19.3 ±â€…0.21 kg initial body weight) were randomly assigned to 1 of 10 diets (n = 8) in 8 blocks in a 2 × 5 factorial arrangement. Diets consisted of a low ratio (LR; E:T of 0.33) or a high ratio (HR; E:T of 0.36) with graded Lys content (0.82%, 0.92%, 1.02%, 1.12%, and 1.22% standardized ileal digestible [SID]). After a 7-d adaptation, a 4-d N-balance collection was conducted. Blood samples were obtained on d 2 of the collection period 2 h after the morning meal for plasma urea N (PUN) analysis. Data were analyzed using the MIXED model procedure with fixed effects of ratio (n = 2), Lys (n = 5), and their interactions. The experimental block (room) was included as a random effect (n = 8). The SID Lys requirement was estimated using PROC NLIN linear broken-line breakpoint model. There was a significant interaction between E:T ratio and Lys (P < 0.01), where LR diets had a higher N retention than HR diets, while increasing Lys linearly increased N retention (P = 0.01) in both HR and LR diets. The marginal efficiency of utilizing SID Lys (P < 0.01) reduced with increasing Lys content, while the efficiency of utilizing N (P < 0.05) increased as Lys increased. The SID Lys required to maximize N retention of pigs fed HR diets was estimated at 1.08% (R2 = 0.61) and LR diets at 1.21% (R2 = 0.80). The current results indicate that N may be limiting in diets with a high E:T ratio, limiting N retention. Supplying additional dietary N, as intact protein, can increase N retention, resulting in a greater Lys requirement.

Low protein diets supplemented with essential amino acids (EAA) can improve growth performance, but dietary non-essential amino acids (NEAA) and nitrogen (N) content may be limiting factors. This limitation may ultimately affect the efficient utilization of EAA for optimal N retention and growth performance. As a benchmark, appropriate quantities of EAA and total N (TN) must be provided, using the EAA-N to TN ratio (E:T) to indicate that both are supplied in sufficient amounts. The present study generally observed a linear increase in N retention with increasing dietary Lys, and N retention was greater in the low E:T as compared with high E:T diets. A greater Lys requirement was observed in the low E:T compared with the high E:T-fed pigs. A low E:T ratio with Lys above current recommendations is warranted to maximize N retention.

Inheritance of Resistance to Bacterial Halo Blight and Bacterial Leaf Spot in Arabica Coffee.

Developing coffee cultivars resistant to multiple diseases by combining resistance genes is a top priority in breeding programs. To create cultivars resistant to diseases and nematodes, we transferred genes for resistance to bacterial infections caused by Pseudomonas coronafaciens pv. garcae, which causes bacterial halo blight (BHB), and P. amygdali pv. tabaci, which causes bacterial leaf spots (BLS), into Arabica coffee. Genetic analyses were conducted on breeding populations to estimate the number and function of genes that confer resistance to BHB and BLS. In total, 2,109 plants in the F2 generation and reciprocal backcrosses were inoculated with P. coronafaciens pv. garcae, while 1,996 plants were inoculated with P. amygdali pv. tabaci. Results showed that resistance to both pathogens had a heritability of 0.99, and the segregations of resistance indicated that each disease was controlled by a single dominant gene. The analyses also revealed that the resistance genes for BHB and BLS were linked, with an average distance of 10.75 cM between them on the same chromosome.

Shared hotspot mutations in oncogenes position dogs as an unparalleled comparative model for precision therapeutics.

Naturally occurring canine cancers have remarkable similarities to their human counterparts. To better understand these similarities, we investigated 671 client-owned dogs from 96 breeds with 23 common tumor types, including those whose mutation profile are unknown (anal sac carcinoma and neuroendocrine carcinoma) or understudied (thyroid carcinoma, soft tissue sarcoma and hepatocellular carcinoma). We discovered mutations in 50 well-established oncogenes and tumor suppressors, and compared them to those reported in human cancers. As in human cancer, TP53 is the most commonly mutated gene, detected in 22.5% of canine tumors overall. Canine tumors share mutational hotspots with human tumors in oncogenes including PIK3CA, KRAS, NRAS, BRAF, KIT and EGFR. Hotspot mutations with significant association to tumor type include NRAS G61R and PIK3CA H1047R in hemangiosarcoma, ERBB2 V659E in pulmonary carcinoma, and BRAF V588E (equivalent of V600E in humans) in urothelial carcinoma. Our findings better position canines as a translational model of human cancer to investigate a wide spectrum of targeted therapies.

Household availability of foods from Brazilian biodiversity.

Food biodiversity is characterized by the diversity of foods that compose a local, regional, or national ecosystem. Brazil has 20% of all the planet's biodiversity and the richest biomes in the world. Therefore, describing the participation of these foods in the Brazilian diet is relevant. Using a complex sample with data from 57,920 households collected by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics from 2017 to 2018, this study showed that, except for yerba mate, the availability of foods from Brazilian biodiversity is low, representing an average of 7.09g/per capita/day. Regarding biomes, the Caatinga had the highest availability of fruits (4.20g/per capita/day) while the Amazon had the highest availability of vegetables (1.52g/per capita/day). The results are unsatisfactory and lower than what is expected from a territory rich in biodiversity and a world-leading food system. A greater commitment is essential to promote actions that strengthen the consumption of these foods among Brazilians.

Ecological zoning of Euschistus heros in Brazil based on the net reproductive rate at different temperatures and relative-humidity levels.

The Neotropical brown stink bug, Euschistus heros (Fabricius, 1798) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), is one of the major insect pests in soybean crops, causing severe damage; however, some aspects of its biology that are essential for management remain unknown. To aid in the management of E. heros, the present study investigated the fertility life table of this species at 7 temperatures (18, 20, 22, 25, 28, 30, and 32 ± 1 °C) and 4 relative-humidity levels (30, 50, 70, and 90 ± 10%). Based on the net reproductive rate, R0, we developed an ecological zoning for this pest in Brazil, to identify climatically favorable areas for population growth. Our results indicated that the most favorable range is between 25 and 28 °C and above 70% RH. The ecological zoning indicated that farmers should be more concerned in the northern and Midwest regions, which include the state of Mato Grosso, the largest soybean and corn producer in Brazil. These results provide valuable information, indicating the hotspots most likely to be attacked by the Neotropical brown stink bug.

Plastisphere composition in a subtropical estuary: Influence of season, incubation time and polymer type on plastic biofouling.

Plastics are abundant artificial substrates in aquatic systems that host a wide variety of organisms (the plastisphere), including potential pathogens and invasive species. Plastisphere communities have many complex, but not well-understood ecological interactions. It is pivotal to investigate how these communities are influenced by the natural fluctuations in aquatic ecosystems, especially in transitional environments such as estuaries. Further study is needed in subtropical regions in the Southern Hemisphere, where plastic pollution is ever increasing. Here we applied DNA-metabarcoding (16S, 18S and ITS-2) as well Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) to assess the diversity of the plastisphere in the Patos Lagoon estuary (PLE), South Brazil. Through a one-year in situ colonization experiment, polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) plates were placed in shallow waters, and sampled after 30 and 90 days within each season. Over 50 taxa including bacteria, fungi and other eukaryotes were found through DNA analysis. Overall, the polymer type did not influence the plastisphere community composition. However, seasonality significantly affected community composition for bacteria, fungi and general eukaryotes. Among the microbiota, we found Acinetobacter sp., Bacillus sp., and Wallemia mellicola that are putative pathogens of aquatic organisms, such as algae, shrimp and fish, including commercial species. In addition, we identified organisms within genera that can potentially degrade hydrocarbons (e.g. Pseudomonas and Cladosporium spp). This study is the first to assess the full diversity and variation of the plastisphere on different polymers within a subtropical Southern Hemisphere estuary, significantly expanding knowledge on plastic pollution and the plastisphere in estuarine regions.

Spatial patterns and epidemiological characterization of suicides in the Chapecó micro-region, Santa Catarina, Brazil: an ecological study, 1996-2018.

OBJECTIVE: to identify spatial clusters of suicide and its epidemiological characteristics in the Chapecó (SC) micro-region from 1996 to 2018. METHODS: this was an exploratory ecological study, using data from the Mortality Information System; specific suicide rates and relative risks (RR) were calculated with a 95% confidence interval (95%CI); the scan statistic was used for spatial analysis. RESULTS: there were 1,034 suicides (13.7/100,000 inhabitants), with a male/female ratio of 3.79; the ≥ 60 age group was at higher risk for both sexes; a high risk cluster was found in the southwest region (RR = 1.57) and a low risk cluster in the southeast region, including Chapecó itself (RR = 0.68); risk of suicide among widowed (RR = 3.05; 95%CI 1.99;4.67), separated (RR = 2.48; 95%CI 1.44;4.27), and married (RR = 1.97; 95%CI 1.54;2.51) people was higher than among single people. The main methods were hanging (81.2%) and firearms (9.7%). CONCLUSION: there was a higher risk of suicide in the elderly, male and widowed people. Hanging was the most frequent method and risk clustering was found in the southwest.

Spatial patterns and epidemiological characterization of suicides in the micro-region of Chapecó, Santa Catarina, Brazil: ecological study, 1996- 2018 / Patrones espaciales y caracterización epidemiológica de los suicidios en la micro-región de Chapecó, Santa Catarina, Brasil: estudio ecológico, 1996- 2018 / Padrões espaciais e caracterização epidemiológica dos suicídios na microrregião de Chapecó, Santa Catarina: estudo ecológico, 1996-2018

Objective: To identify spatial clusters of suicide and the epidemiological profile in the microregion of Chapecó (SC), between 1996-2018. Methods: Exploratory ecological study, with data from the Mortality Information System. Specific suicide rates and relative risks (RR) were calculated with a 95% confidence interval (95%CI). For spatial analysis, the scan statistic was used. Results: There were 1,034 suicides (13.7/100,000 inhabitants), with a male/female ratio of 3.79. The age group ≥60 was at higher risk for both sexes. A high risk cluster was observed in the southwest region (RR=1.57) and a low risk cluster in the southeast, including Chapecó (RR=0.68). The risk of suicide among widowed (RR=3.05;CI95%:1.99;4.67), separated (RR=2.48;CI95%:1.44;4.27), and married (RR= 1.97;CI95%:1.54;2.51) were higher than among singles. The main methods was hanging (81.2%), followed by firearms (9.7%). Conclusion: There was a higher risk of suicide in the elderly, men and widowers. Hanging was the most frequent method and risk clustering was observed to the Southwest.

Objetivo: Identificar agregados espaciales de suicidio y el perfil epidemiológico en la microrregión de Chapecó (SC), 1996-2018. Métodos: Estudio ecológico exploratorio, con datos del Sistema de Información de Mortalidad. Fueron calculadas tasas específicas de suicidio y riesgos relativos (RR) con intervalo de confianza 95% (IC95%). Para el análisis espacial se utilizó la estadística scan. Resultados: Hubo 1.034 suicidios (13,7/100.000 habitantes), razón hombre/mujer de 3,79. El grupo de ≥ 60 años presentó mayor riesgo para ambos sexos. Se observó un agregado de alto riesgo en la región suroeste (RR=1,57) y un agregado de menor riesgo en el sureste (RR=0,68). El riesgo de suicidio entre viudos (RR=3.05; IC95% 1.99;4.67), separados (RR=2.48; IC95% 1.44;4.27) y casados (RR= 1.97;IC95%:1.54;2.51) fueron mayores que entre solteros. El principal medio fue el ahorcamiento (81,2%), seguido de las armas de fuego (9,7%). Conclusión: Hubo mayor riesgo de suicidio en ancianos, hombres y viudos. Ahorcamiento fue el método más frecuente y se observó agrupación de riesgos hacia el Suroeste.

Objetivo: identificar conglomerados espaciais do suicídio e características epidemiológicas na microrregião de Chapecó, SC, Brasil, 1996-2018. Métodos: estudo ecológico exploratório, com dados do Sistema de Informações sobre Mortalidade; foram calculadas taxas específicas de suicídio, e riscos relativos (RR) com intervalo de confiança de 95% (IC95%); na análise espacial, utilizou-se estatística scan. Resultados: 1.034 suicídios (13,7/100 mil habitantes), à razão homem/mulher de 3,79; a idade ≥ 60 anos apresentou maior risco para ambos os sexos; observou-se um conglomerado de alto risco na região sudoeste (RR = 1,57) e um de menor risco a sudeste, incluindo Chapecó (RR = 0,68); risco de suicídio entre viúvos (RR = 3,05 ­ IC95% 1,99;4,67), separados (RR = 2,48 ­ IC95% 1,44;4,27) e casados (RR = 1,97 ­ IC95% 1,54;2,51) maior que entre solteiros; principal método, enforcamento (81,2%), seguido por uso de arma de fogo (9,7%). Conclusão: maior risco de suicídio para idosos, homens e viúvos; enforcamento foi mais frequente; conglomerado de risco a sudoeste.